A Rich Idea: Politics

Every 4 years, I write a column about the presidential election and do my best to articulate for whom I am voting and why.

As I look back at my 2008 article, I decided to vote for Barack Obama 4 years ago because he had a better understanding of America’s place in the world.  I remember being slightly incensed that Americans were not more upset that George Bush had undertaken a war under false pretenses, a war that killed more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians who had done nothing to harm us.  At the time, John McCain did not seem to offer a different approach than George Bush.

Read More

Paul Ryan at the Republican Convention

For many, last night was their first glimpse of the possible future Vice-President of the United States, congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

If you wondered when the bashing of Obama was going to come, you need wait no longer.  Paul Ryan embraced every chance to denounce the last 4 years of the Obama administration.  In one of his memorable lines, Ryan states:

“The man assumed office almost four years ago — isn’t it about time he assumed responsibility?”

Read More

Fox’s Bill Kristol Advice Is Romney’s Best Strategy

Doesn’t anyone see the irony that Mitt Romney is running from, and sometimes on, his supposed greatest triumph:  business experience.   How do you back track from your strength and yet somehow use this as the foundation of your campaign?

Read More

Mitt in his early days at Bain Capital

A large portion of Mitt Romney’s financial success stems from his role as the former leader of Bain Capital. The Obama campaign is using this against him and Mitt is once again back-pedaling, saying that his involvement with the firm ended long ago. As we hear more about Bain Capital, will this be the issue that brings down Mitt Romney’s presidential bid?

What Does Bain Capital Do That Makes It a Target?

To understand why the Obama campaign is latching on to this issue, we need to take a deeper look at Bain Capital and find out exactly what they do that may discourage voters.

Read More

Mitt Romney Will Outsource US Jobs?

You can view the full ad below but the premise deserves a consideration.

If you intend to vote for Mitt Romney, which you shouldn’t (yes, we’re allowed opinions at this site and so are you), you must consider his mindset and the type of business he runs, a private equity firm.

Read More

The war in Iraq officially ended last week in a dreary speech by President Obama, a speech that hailed the war heroes, tepidly reviewed the results of the war campaign, and ended with a somber reflection on our economy.

If the speech left a taste in your mouth, it was not one to leave you salivating for more.

How do you triumphantly speak about a war with which you disagreed?

Read More

After Al Gore lost the election to George Bush, his demeanor changed as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.  He became much more electable after he lost the election.
The same can be said of John McCain in his loss to Barack Obama.  For some reason, he lost his true self during the presidential race and then found himself again after it was over.  Had the real John McCain run against Barack Obama, he might have faired a little better.

I think of these character changes as I just watched a full Larry King interview with George and Laura Bush.

Read More

Observations on the Political Speeches Last Night [June 2008]: John McCain is a Kinda Creepy, Hillary is Finally Hillary, and  Barack is Just Plain Cool!

John McCain should not have listened to the advice he received last night:  SMILE!

It was unnatural.  There were moments when it seemed the teleprompter must have parenthetically included:  Smile right NOW and Look At The Camera.  The smile was forced out like a painful delivery and somewhat sinister.

Read More